Dissent In The State Department

Fifty one mid- to high-level State Department officers involved with advising on Syria policy have signed a dissent channel cable calling for military strikes against President Bashar al-Assad's government, to stop its persistent violations of the ceasefire.

That might be all very well for Washington based policy wonks to "bravely" put their heads above the parapet on paper. However, the reality is that any strikes on Assad will bring America into direct conflict with Assad's sponsor Russia.

Additonally, as with Iraq, what exactly is the game plan if Assad is toppled?

Do these cosseted staffers think the democracy will magically bloom overnight in the arid sands of the desert?

Remove Assad and you have ISIS, Al Qaeda and other idiots running the show!

The 51 dissenters should be sacked. Not for dissenting, but for being idiots!

The Enemy of My Enemy is My Friend - Why The USA Kowtows to Saudi Arabia

It's the oil price stupid!

Erdogan Tries To Shut The Stable Door

Turkey's Erdogan says does not want escalation after Russian jet downed: https://t.co/voKpRbPYAB pic.twitter.com/aL5dONwoj5

— Reuters Top News (@Reuters) November 25, 2015

Erdogan should have thought of that before shooting the plane down.

Turkey Shoots Down Russian Fighter Jet

The FT reports that the Turkish Air Force shot down a Russian plane on Tuesday, according to a Turkish military official who said the aircraft violated Turkish airspace, “despite repeated warnings”.

Russia’s defence ministry on Tuesday confirmed that one of its jets had been shot down, but insisted it had not strayed into Turkish airspace.

“Today on the territory of Syria, presumably as a result of fire from the ground, a Russian Su-24 plane crashed in the Syrian Arabic Republic,” the defence ministry said in a statement quoted by Russian news wires. “The plane was at an altitude of 6,000 metres. The fate of the pilots is being confirmed. According to preliminary data, the pilots managed to eject.”

It added that the plane was “exclusively over Syrian territory throughout its entire flight”. “This is recorded by objective controls.”

Allegedly Turkey is fighting ISIS as well. However, the reality is that it is using its involvement in the Syrian conflict to further its military actions against the PKK with the tacit support of the USA.

As to its true intentions towards ISIS, the mainstream media may care to investigate and report on those senior Turkish officials who allegedly have links with ISIS and Turkey's involvement with the purchase of crude oil supplied by ISIS.

We are not all in this together by any manner or means!